Lubricant



Patented Sept. 20, 1938 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE LUBRICANT Julius F. T. Berliner, Wilmington, Del., assignor to E. I. du Pont de Nemours 8; Company, Wilmington, Del., a corporation of Delaware No Drawing. Application April 30, 1935,

Serial N0. 19,027.

7 Claims. (Cl. 879) admixture with castor oil according to this in- 1 vention, I have found that the fraction thereof of boilingpoint range from about ZOO-275 C., is particularly advantageous.

The proportions of castor oil and higher alcohols may be varied over a range such as from about parts castor oil by volume to 40 parts higher alcohols to 40-60 parts respectively, although I prefer to utilize a lubricant which contains proportions of about 60 parts castor oil and 40 parts higher alcohols.

The lubricant of this invention is added directly to the fuel in various amounts dependent on the size and type of engine.

One of its great advantages resides in the fact that a considerably smaller quantity thereof is necessary for satisfactory lubrication than is the case with the usual mineral oil lubricants.

Thus, for example, in the case of the usual gaso line or benzol fuel, I have found that the superior advantages of the present lubricant are obtained when utilizing from about pt. to 1 pt. thereof per gallon of gasoline orbenzol for various sizes and types of engines or, in other words, just about one-half the amount required with a good grade mineral oil. As a further. advantage, a much longer engine life results when using the lubricant of the present invention, and sustained high speeds do not cause overheating of bearings or scoring of cylinder walls.

In experiments conducted with two 'cycle motors, when utilizing gasoline or alcoholor benzol-containing fuels lubricated with castor oil, I have found that a minimum of about 11% castor oil of the total fuel-lubricant mixture has to be present in the case of a 30 cubic inch piston displacement racing motor to prevent bearing difliculties. I have also found, however, that by adding a quanity of the fraction of higher alcohols, which term is used to describe, generally, the mixture of products obtainable by the pressure catalytic hydrogenation of oxide of carbon, boiling between -300 C., it is possible, to obtain greater power and to reduce the quantity of castor oil utilized without involving any bearing difliculty at all. Thus, for example, I have found that, in the above type and size of engine, by add-' ing higher alcohols, as above described, to a gasoline fuel in amounts from about 4% of the total fuel and up, the castor oil can be reduced to a minimum of about 6%, whereas if less than about 4% higher alcohols are utilized the amount of castor oil must be materially increased.

I have found further that about 5%, of the 11%, castor oil content previously referred to is normally necessary for lubricating the crank shaft bearings and moving parts other than pistons, whereas the remaining 6%, of the 11%, is used to lubricate the piston during combustion. This was determined by turning the engine at top speed in the absence of combustion or back pressure, i. e., with spark plugs removed. Under -these conditions the castor oil could be reduced to 5% of the total fuel composition to lubricate the crank shaft bearings. Furthermore, the addition of higher alcohols to the fuel under such conditions shows no lubricating action on the crank shaft bearings.

It will be apparent, then, that the addition of 4% higher alcohols, or more, in the fuel supplies the lubrication required in the combustion chamber and thus performs the function of the 6% castor oil. No lubricating action from the higher alcohol is apparent until combustion has commenced, however, and hence, although I shall not be limited by the explanation, I believe that on combustion, dehydration occurs, this being the initial stage of combustion, forming a lubricant which lubricates the action of the pistons and finally burns and passes out of the exhaust.

When the lubricant of this invention is added to gasoline orbenzol I obtain a fuel which possesses both mechanical and combustion lubrication characteristics of an efficiency which permits much greater top speeds than when utilizing casusually employed in these motors, there is obtained an increase in the maximum power of about 3%. This power increase may, in turn, be translated directly into a greater number of revolutions per minute of the propeller, or, if desired, to a larger propeller which revolves at about the same number of revolutions per minute, consequently delivering greater power and consequently more speed (about 1.5% increase in speed).

Despite the higher speed of the motor, obtainable according to this invention, one of the great practical advantages thereof resides in the fact that, by use of the present lubricant mixture, a much longer engine life results, due to the superior lubrication I believe, than heretofore obtained, and, furthermore, all these advantages are obtainable, as has been previously set forth, by utilizing quantities of as small an amount as one-half those quantities necessary in the case of the usual mineral oil lubricant.

The advantages of the lubricant of this invention may be enjoyed not only with two cycle outboard engines but also in four cycle engines. Thus; for example, I have found that this lubricant, possessing, as I have designated it, combustion lubrication characteristics, is highly eflioacious when used for topcylinder lubricant purposes in four cycle engines. Its superior lubrication of thepistons and valves in such motors results in much smoother operation, longer life, and greater power. I have found that, although its proportionsqto the fuel may be varied over a wide range, highly desirable results are obtained in the case of four cycle engines if the lubricant is utilized' in amountsof from about /2 ounce to 2 ounces per gallon of fuel.

Various changes may be made in the details and compositions of this invention without departing therefrom or sacrificing any of the advantages thereof.

I claim:

1. A motor fuel combustion lubricant comprisinga mixture of castor oil and the higher alcohols mixture obtainable by the catalytic pressure hydrogenation of oxide of carbon, boiling in the range of about 200-275" C.

2. A motor fuel combustion lubricant comprising a mixture in the proportions of about 40-60 parts by volume of castor oil and 60-40 parts of the higher alcohols mixture obtainable by the catalytic pressure hydrogenation of oxide of carbon boiling in the range of about 200-275 C.

3. A motor fuel combustion lubricant compris-' 4. The method of improving the lubricating quality of hydrocarbon motor fuels which comprises adding thereto a mixture of castor oil and the higher alcohols obtainable by the catalytic pressure hydrogenation of oxide of carbon boiling in the range of about 200-275 'C.

5. The method of improving the lubricating quality of hydrocarbon motor fuels which comprises adding thereto a mixture of castor oil and the higheralcohols obtainable by the catalytic pressure hydrogenation of oxide of carbon boiling in the range of about ZOO-275 C., in the proportions of about 40-60 parts by volume of castor oil and 60-40 parts of the said higher alcohols.

6. The method" of improving the lubricating quality of hydrocarbon motor fuels which comprises adding thereto, in the proportions of about /2 to 2 ounces per gallon of motor fuel, a mixture of castor oil and the higher alcohols mixture obtainable by the catalytic pressure hydrogenation of oxide of carbon boiling in the range of about ZOO-275 C.

7. The method of improving the lubricating quality of hydrocarbon motor fuels which comprises adding thereto, in the proportions of about to 2 ounces per gallon of motor fuel, a mixture of castor oil and the higher alcohols mixture obtainable by the catalytic pressure hydrogenation of oxide of carbon boiling in the range of about 200-275" C., the castor oil and higher alcohols 'mixture being in the proportions of about 40-60 parts by volume of castor oil and about 60-40 parts of said higher alcohols.

Jumps F. r. BERLINER. 

